Method for making relief layer

Abstract

A method for forming a relief layer employing a stamp having a stamping surface including a template relief pattern. A solution comprising a siliconoxide compound is sandwiched between a substrate surface and the stamp surface and dried while sandwiched. After removal of the template relief pattern the relief layer obtained has a high inorganic mass content making it robust and directly usable for a number of applications such as semiconductor, optical or micromechanical.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A silicon oxide compound solution comprising a silicon oxide compound with a degree of Si—O—Si cross-linking,
 wherein silicon atoms of the silicon oxide compound comprise:
 a first silicon atom chemically bound to four oxygen atoms; and 
 a second silicon atom chemically bound to three oxygen atoms and one atom different from an oxygen atom, wherein the chemical bond between the second silicon atom and the one atom different from oxygen is not capable of forming an Si—O—Si chemical bond, 
 
 wherein the silicon oxide compound solution is a mixture of a silicon oxide compound precursor, at least one monofunctionalized trialkoxysilane and an aqueous acid solution that is a weak acid, 
 wherein the silicon oxide compound solution further comprises a first solvent and a second solvent, 
 wherein a vapor pressure of the first solvent is higher than that of the second solvent, and 
 wherein the second solvent comprises at least one of: 
 1,2-propanediol; or 
 ethylene glycol. 
 
     
     
       2. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the weak acid comprises any one of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, maleic acid, citric acid, and oxalic acid. 
     
     
       3. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 2 , wherein the weak acid comprises formic acid or acetic acid. 
     
     
       4. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the first solvent comprises n-propanol, isopropanol, an isomer of butanol, ester or ether, wherein the ester or ether has a vapor pressure that is higher than that of the second solvent. 
     
     
       5. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide compound precursor comprises a tetraalkoxysilane. 
     
     
       6. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein a monofunction of the monofunctionalized trialkoxysilane comprises a carbon atom that is chemically bound to the silicon atom. 
     
     
       7. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 6 , wherein the carbon atom is a part of an alkyl group having less than four carbon atoms. 
     
     
       8. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 7 , wherein the carbon atom is sp3 hybridized and is a part of a primary alkyl group. 
     
     
       9. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 8 , wherein the primary alkyl group comprises a methyl group. 
     
     
       10. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 6 , wherein alkoxy group in at least one of tetraalkoxysilane and the monofunctionalized trialkoxysilane comprises a methoxy group or ethoxy group. 
     
     
       11. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of silicon chemically bound to four oxygen atoms/silicon chemically bound to three oxygen atoms and one atom different from oxygen is less than 3/2. 
     
     
       12. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio is greater than 2/3. 
     
     
       13. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon oxide compound solution comprises nanoparticles. 
     
     
       14. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise silicon oxide. 
     
     
       15. A method of using the silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , the method comprising forming a layer to be embossed in a method of embossing, the silicon oxide compound solution comprising the silicon oxide compound with the degree of Si—O—Si cross-linking,
 wherein silicon atoms of the silicon oxide compound comprise:
 the first silicon atom chemically bound to four oxygen atoms; and 
 the second silicon atom chemically bound to three oxygen atoms and one atom different from the oxygen atom, wherein the chemical bond between the second silicon atom and the one atom different from oxygen is not capable of forming the Si—O—Si chemical bond, 
 
 wherein the silicon oxide compound solution is the mixture of a silicon oxide compound precursor, the at least one monofunctionalized trialkoxysilane and the aqueous acid solution that is the weak acid, 
 wherein the silicon oxide compound further comprises the first solvent and the second solvent, 
 wherein the vapor pressure of the first solvent is higher than that of the second solvent, and 
 wherein the second solvent comprises at least one of: 
 1,2-propanediol; or 
 ethylene glycol. 
 
     
     
       16. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the second solvent does not include ethylene glycol. 
     
     
       17. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the second solvent does not include:
 1,2-propanediol. 
 
     
     
       18. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the second solvent excludes:
 ethylene glycol mono butyl ether; and 
 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethyl acetate. 
 
     
     
       19. The silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1 , wherein the second solvent further comprises at least one of ethylene glycol mono butyl ether or 2-(2- butoxyethoxy)ethyl acetate. 
     
     
       20. A method of manufacturing the silicon oxide compound solution according to  claim 1  comprising the silicon oxide compound with the degree of Si—O—Si cross-linking, the method comprising:
 mixing the silicon oxide compound precursor and the at least one monofunctionalized trialkoxysilane to obtain the mixture; and 
 reacting the mixture with the aqueous acid solution that is the weak acid in order to form the silicon oxide compound, 
 wherein silicon atoms of the silicon oxide compound comprise:
 the first silicon atom chemically bound to four oxygen atoms; and 
 the second silicon atom chemically bound to three oxygen atoms and one atom different from the oxygen atom, wherein the chemical bond between the second silicon atom and the one atom different from oxygen is not capable of forming the Si—O—Si chemical bond, 
 
 wherein the silicon oxide compound solution further comprises the first solvent and the second solvent, 
 wherein the vapor pressure of the first solvent is higher than that of the second solvent, and 
 wherein the second solvent comprises at least one of: 
 1,2-propanediol; or 
 ethylene glycol.